Tragedy has struck. ETA head gasket

[maluminse]

Idk whats going on. Last time it smoked up like Cheech and Chong.

Video from today:

One quart low. (Photo of dipstick below)

https://www.dropbox.com/s/67d4b5ocllk54 ... 4.mp4?dl=0


After adding 1 quart
https://www.dropbox.com/s/53n15dkiz1xtn ... 3.mp4?dl=0

sendvid taking too long. Using dropbox. I had a different link.

Almost no smoke. Just like a blue flame of smoke coming out pipe. Not an actual flame but like the shape of a flame in bluish/whitish smoke. Makes no sense. Maybe letting it sit squoze out...no.

It burned a quart of oil last time I ran it... Makes no sense. Sounds like rings but compression test is at bottom.



Photo of the oil dipstick:


https://imgur.com/a/J3vXiZz

I think that water in the oil is residue from before. Yea?

An oil change and it might stop all together? Odd b/c it was smoking so bad. Really bad. Now its not even white smoke.

I mean it was so bad that looking out my back mirror it was completely white, completely.

compression test:

1 95

2 105

3 100

4 107

[RRoller123]

Those compression numbers are too low. Did you have the throttle wide open when you did the compression test?

[maluminse]

Those compression numbers are too low. Did you have the throttle wide open when you did the compression test?

Oh. ha. It wasnt on. I just turned the key with it off to do a few rotations.

It will run I guess with one plug out. Supposed to push the gas with it plugged in? Ok Ill do it again.

Starts up immediately. Like turn the key, no pedal and pow its on.

[RRoller123]

All plugs out, and the throttle open fully for the test. All plugs out ensures that a side to side gasket break isn't missed or misread by a good cylinder next door.

[maluminse]

All plugs out, and the throttle open fully for the test. All plugs out ensures that a side to side gasket break isn't missed or misread by a good cylinder next door.

Right I get you now. How would you suggest keeping carb throttle open when doing this test on my own?

Also how many times should I turn it over to get an accurate reading?

[18Fiatsandcounting]

OK, let's think about this. Your compression numbers are a bit on the low side, but that could be because of the throttle issue mentioned, or your compression tester is just inaccurate (very common). The good news is that the numbers are all within about 10% of each other (having one number very different from the others is usually a bad sign).

You're not burning a quart of oil just by starting the engine and running it for a while. Even massive oil burner cars only burn a quart every few hundred miles. My guess is that you're just seeing the variations on the dipstick depending on how long you wait before taking the measurement.

Because of the prior issues with the head gasket, you've likely still got coolant in the oil, very likely residual water in the exhaust headers and tailpipe, and possibly oil in the coolant. These all might take a while of running the engine before they're all cleared out. If it were me, I'd run the car for an hour or so, drain the oil and change it (also change the filter), drain and change the coolant, and recheck the cylinder head bolt torques after it's cooled down. After doing all this, if you still see milky oil reappearing, then I'm willing to admit that you still have a problem. Right now I'm optimistic that you're OK and still seeing the lingering effects of the original head gasket leak issue.

By the way, when I change the oil on my Fiats, I let it drain overnight. I get about an extra half quart of oil that comes out with the extra hours. Hot oil also drains much better, so get the engine hot before draining.

-Bryan

[maluminse]

OK, let's think about this. Your compression numbers are a bit on the low side, but that could be because of the throttle issue mentioned, or your compression tester is just inaccurate (very common). The good news is that the numbers are all within about 10% of each other (having one number very different from the others is usually a bad sign).

You're not burning a quart of oil just by starting the engine and running it for a while. Even massive oil burner cars only burn a quart every few hundred miles. My guess is that you're just seeing the variations on the dipstick depending on how long you wait before taking the measurement.

Because of the prior issues with the head gasket, you've likely still got coolant in the oil, very likely residual water in the exhaust headers and tailpipe, and possibly oil in the coolant. These all might take a while of running the engine before they're all cleared out. If it were me, I'd run the car for an hour or so, drain the oil and change it (also change the filter), drain and change the coolant, and recheck the cylinder head bolt torques after it's cooled down. After doing all this, if you still see milky oil reappearing, then I'm willing to admit that you still have a problem. Right now I'm optimistic that you're OK and still seeing the lingering effects of the original head gasket leak issue.

By the way, when I change the oil on my Fiats, I let it drain overnight. I get about an extra half quart of oil that comes out with the extra hours. Hot oil also drains much better, so get the engine hot before draining.

-Bryan

Im feeling like you might be right. Biased of course b/c I want it to be. You saw the video I take it. Not much smoke at all. It is a cheap compression tester $18 off Amazon.

Ok Ill change the oil in a day or so. Thanks to everyone chiming in. Cant express it enough.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Right I get you now. How would you suggest keeping carb throttle open when doing this test on my own?

Also how many times should I turn it over to get an accurate reading?

Oops, forgot to answer your questions! You can hold the throttle open by depressing the gas pedal all the way to the floor and holding it there while cranking (or use wire or string to pull down on the gas pedal if you're not sitting in the driver's seat, or hold it open at the carburetor), and 3 or 4 times should be enough engine turnovers for you to get a stable reading on the compression tester.

-Bryan

[Daddio]

Congrats, sounds like it lives again!
+1 on the run for an hour change oil etc, just don't put too thin a motor oil in.
(zinc additive maybe too).
Best of luck!

[RRoller123]

I used synthetic Mobil 1 by itself once and the engine seeped some oil. The stuff is amazing and it just gets through and into everywhere, which is good..... but it also gets out! I use a mix now of about 4 parts Rotella, 1 part Mobil 1. Plenty of zinc with the Rotella. And Mobil 1 is compatible with everything. No seepage.

[maluminse]

I used 10w 30 full synthetic.

Ran for about 40 minutes. Smoke continued to decrease. Revving the engine caused a small increase but not at all commensurate with the rev.

Was up to operating temp. 35-50 psi oil.

Blue smoke still lightly coming out.

Checked the oil afterward, crystal clear.

Im very optimistic the smoke will stop altogether. Need to finely tune the timing and adjust the throttle line.



Cant thank you guys enough. Seriously. Beer and pizza all around.

[18Fiatsandcounting]

Whoo-hoo!! I'm all for beer and pizza, just let me know when and where! It sounds like you're OK on the technical stuff for now, but let us know. Don't worry too much about the oil pressure as indicated on the gauge. First off, the gauge isn't all that accurate, and second off, even if it is, you're probably just fine for now on the oil pressure. On my Fiats, they start off cold with an oil pressure about 50 psi (according to the gauge), but that can drop to 30 psi when hot, and perhaps 10 psi while hot and at idle. I've never worried about it too much about it as the engine seemed fine.

By the way, and this is getting off topic, I just use "whatever is on sale" 10w-40 oil for my Fiats. Oil quality has improved so much in the past decades, that even the oil you buy at the dollar store is probably better than what was available back when these engines were built and serviced.

-Bryan

[maluminse]

Whoo-hoo!! I'm all for beer and pizza, just let me know when and where! It sounds like you're OK on the technical stuff for now, but let us know. Don't worry too much about the oil pressure as indicated on the gauge. First off, the gauge isn't all that accurate, and second off, even if it is, you're probably just fine for now on the oil pressure. On my Fiats, they start off cold with an oil pressure about 50 psi (according to the gauge), but that can drop to 30 psi when hot, and perhaps 10 psi while hot and at idle. I've never worried about it too much about it as the engine seemed fine.

By the way, and this is getting off topic, I just use "whatever is on sale" 10w-40 oil for my Fiats. Oil quality has improved so much in the past decades, that even the oil you buy at the dollar store is probably better than what was available back when these engines were built and serviced.

-Bryan

Thanks for the info. Adjusted the throttle today. Idling well. Will time tomorrow.

Zero white/blue smoke today. Really stoked. All the oil it burned it off made it a cliff hanger for me.

As it goes, fix one thing another goes wrong. Temp gauge worked fine after I was done. But now its pegged right. Someone else here said disconnect the overheat sensor as its unnecessary. Will do that tomorrow too.